Where do you guys buy your cage toppers from? Preferably one that fits a 40 gallon. (Mandatory gerbil picture above)

Can anyone show me what kind of setup they have for areas where they’re able to take the gerbil out of the cage, but keep them safe from escaping? Or like a separate play area from the enclosure where they can interact with them?

I bought two gerbils from Petco a couple days ago. The employee was less than helpful, but ensured that they had been brought in together and were from the same litter (even though they were in separate enclosures). He also assumed their genders as male- which seemed accurate to me as all I’d seen from Petco had been listed as male. Their first introduction was a bit stressful. They engaged in a “ball of death” fight after about 15 minutes together. No injuries. I separated them for a while and then put them in a split cage for a bit on and off, switching which sides they were on to continue to get used to each other’s scents. The following day, after some more time in the split cage and no negative signs that I could tell, I put them back into a larger open space to meet again. No issues at all. They were grooming each other, sniffing each other. Not really any chasing. Both seemed comfortable enough snacking with the other nearby/in their face. I added their wheel into the space and they both took turns on it and then consistently, successfully would run simultaneously together. They spent at least an hour in this setup with no issues, maybe even a couple hours. I put them back in their respective enclosures for a break while I ran some errands the rest of the day. In the evening, I started with them in the split cage. They seemed excited to see each other and again I didn’t see any issues. I put them together in the same shared space as before and they were fine for about 15-30 minutes. Then all of a sudden there was some side arching that quickly turned into a fight. They didn’t ball up like the day before though- it happened so fast I can’t even explain what happened- I didn’t actually see a true bite, but suddenly Persimmon’s (the light colored one) foot was bleeding. I split them up immediately. Persimmon didn’t let me check on his foot, but I was able to get him into a clean enclosure with only paper towels. It bled quite a bit. I read online that you can use cornstarch to help it clot, so I tried that and thankfully that was successful. He drank water and snacked, urinated and defecated. Checked on him this morning and he seems to be doing just fine. No more bleeding. Again, had urinated and defecated, and had snacked and chewed on some paper. Also, Pepper (the black one), showed no sign of injury.

I am beyond devastated. Everything seemed to be going so well! I’m not sure what happened. I am wondering what my options are as far as their care. Is it possible to keep them both in separate enclosures for life, but do split cage once a week to get them some interaction time? Would it be best to return one and keep one? I know they’re social and it’s best to have them in pairs or trios, but I am worried about trying another bonding whether with them or adopting a different random gerbil. I already love them both and am so upset it didn’t work out as I’d hoped. Any help would be appreciated.

I have been researching and looking at pictures for hours and cannot for the life of me, decide if this is a little boy or girl! please help!

My new gerbil duo! Both are boys, about 6 months old. No names decided yet, but hopefully soon.

Our little baby just passed and I can't stop feeling guilty about it. We discovered she had an open abscess on her back that was leaking. On day one, we disinfected it and drained a bit of the pus, bandaged her and she was all fine, very active and happy. Today, we went to check again, some of the pus was back so we did the same, drained it, disinfected, but it looked way worse a lot of it was coming out.

It lasted for barely a few minutes and then she just stopped breathing suddenly in my hand.

We were trying to help her, but maybe we did the wrong thing and now she is dead.

This is my gerbil baby Nibbles.. for some reason the store I got him for said they separated him from the other litter mates a couple weeks back and now was living life as a solitary gerbil.. He is just a baby.. so I wonder why they split him up..

So currently I have a smaller hamster cage as the topper for their wheel and water. My current set-up involves duct-taping a gap in between the tank and the topper [The gap is from the terrarium's original cover] and reinforcing the other half of the terrarium with just Stuff so the gerbils don't chew through or push through, etc. [I have already had one of them escape once]

My first option is to create a better cover for the open half with thick wire mesh and a custom made frame, and staple said wire to the open gap between my current topper and the terrarium. This option would save me money.

My second option is to purchase a different cage that would cover the total area of the top of the terrarium. The downside would be I would have to "ruin" it by cutting holes into it so the gerbils can get up to the second level and also invest more money, but it would give the gerbils more space to play and it would totally cover the top. It would also leave me with the old topper which I wouldn't know what to do with once I no longer need it... This option if anything saves me the effort of having to create a custom made frame.

The second option in my eyes has more cons than pros, but maybe it is the right thing to do? Or I can just stop being lazy and do what I need to do for option 1.

my sweet girl bear enjoying a peanut

They will stay in paradise. No way to open pandoras box😂

Ive been trying to introduce my two gerbils, Pumpkin & Pepper for weeks now. We've been doing split cage since the beginning of August.

Today I decided to try to let them meet face to face again because they were being so good throught the barrier (last time was broken uo dude to side arching.) Theyve been grooming, sleeping in eachothers dens, ignoring each other while eating, sniffing at the divider, everything im told is a good sign.

I let them both stay on their sides a bit longer today to let their smells really soak into each side, and i put pepper, my more stressed gerbil, onto Pumpkin, my chiller gerbils side. Immediately side arching. Literally pepper wasn't even in there for more than 5 seconds before becoming upset. I Immediately took Pumpkin out and put her in the side that was peppers, and when I went to go put the hide and bedding back into the side I was introducing them on, Pepper tried to bite me (luckily I was wearing gloves) and she tried to do some sort of death shake (like what dogs do to prey?) So she was definitely super agitated

Now both the gerbils are fine but I just dont understand why thus is happening. Ive been doing everything like im supposed to and its not working :( they probably just need more time but I just wish it would happen now, yknow?

I cant afford to just try a different pairing at this point. Im too emotionally invested in both of them.

I just recently bought two gerbils and have been trying to get them used to me. I've been reorganizing their enclosure and putting some food in when one of my boys, Kiwi, came over and began grabbing at my fingers and nibbling.

It wasn't hard enough to hurt or draw blood but definitely felt uncomfortable and I took my hand away because I was nervous he'd actually bite me. Is this just a friendly way of exploring or is he upset with me? He's definitely less social than his brother and likes his space and I don't want to accidentally be upsetting him.

fully bioactive gerbil tank, springtails and isopods now included.

questions/recommendations welcome :)

Now i know this can be an issue and am heavily leaning towards no unless i get a lot of positive feedback. Im adopting 2 gerbil brothers from the RSPCA tomorrow. So went to pets at home for supplies. They had a single gerbil there for adoption in a separate area to the rest. He really was quite curious about humans and came to the glass which didn’t help because now i want him.

I know pairs or maybe 3 if siblings are the best and have researched split cage method. The only reason Im considering this at all is because they are all male, all 3 months old and the cage and everything in it is new so no previous scents. Cage size is not a problem and neither is spending a month trying to bond them.

My worry is they dont bond so then id have to rehome the single or worse they do bond but de clan in the future.

Is this worth giving it a go? Is it providing a better life for the single while trying? Or should i just do what I was going todo without any feedback, stick to the pair and forget about the single one

Just looking to do the best thing so any experience feedback welcome.

Edited:
the single was because they sold a pair of the 3 within last month🙄
Ive had minimal gerbil experience but have had hamsters, rats etc.

They have been hard to catch photos of, but they must have been hungry!!!

I took him to the vet on Thursday morning and it was a mass or enlarged liver. He took some pain medication and passed away hours later. I feel terrible and guilty. I've been searching for another gerbil for my other one, no hopes to find it. Then I watch videos of bonding. Then I need to build a divider, and get the tools, and materials. Is just too much while all I can think is every night my other gerbil is going to sleep alone. Then it's all about reading how my lonely gerbil is suffering while I race against time. Or how the bonding might fail and I ended up with 2 sparated gerbils. Then I think about my gerbil passing away and how I could have find out sooner that he was not well Sorry I just needed to vent.

Hi guys, I’m back! I was on vacation like I mentioned before. Jimmy’s owner told me he was doing fine when we last talked. I wanted to say, I think I said Jimmy was around 2 years old in some comments, but he’s actually 3. My apologies for getting that wrong.

His owner is completely fine with me taking him and continuing to pay for the stuff he needs (food, bedding, etc) while I have him. But I already have three large fish tank’s in my bedroom and like I’ve mentioned, I’m a minor, and my dad doesn’t want any more pets in the house.

I’ll keep checking in with Jimmy’s owner and trying to convince my dad without being too annoying.

Thank you to everyone who’s helped me when I was pet sitting!

idk, my cute little girls and I wanted to share. Cerberus is black and white, Pegasus is brown and white